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Complaints pour into BBC after EastEnders screens gay kiss before the watershedBy Daily Mail Reporter6:02 PM on 09th October 2008

The BBC has been flooded with 145 complaints after screening a gay kiss on EastEnders before the 9pm watershed.

The 'offensive' scenes were screened on Tuesday's episode of the soap and showed Christian Clarke (John Partridge, 36) and Lee Thompson (Carl Ferguson, 27) engage in a passionate kiss. In a statement the BBC defended itself by saying it was down to parents to decide whether the content of the show was suitable for children to watch.

One viewer wrote on the BBC’s Points Of View internet messageboard: 'I am appalled by the display of homosexual kissing before the watershed shown on EastEnders.

'This is disgraceful whilst young children are watching and sets the wrong example.'

Another, Pat, wrote: 'I had to explain to my seven-year-old son what was happening.

'He now thinks he is gay because he kisses his dad.'

Caught in the act: Dot catches the couple canoodling

And another angry fan added: 'I think pre-watershed standards have been irresponsibly lowered in recent years.'Tuesday night's scenes saw Christian and Lee caught in the act by busybody Dot Cotton as they kisses on Arthur Fowler's memorial bench.

She tells them that she is as liberal as the next person, but does not approve of canoodling in public places.

The latest outrage comes 21 years after EastEnders screened the first gay kiss in a British soap. Back then, Colin Russell – played by Michael Cashman, 57, who is now a Labour MEP – gave Barry Clark (Gary Hailes, 42) a kiss on the forehead.

The move resulted in a record number of complaints and there were even questions asked in Parliament about whether the scene was appropriate. In a statement the BBC confirmed it had received complaints - but refused to say how many.

The statement read: 'We approach our portrayal of homosexual relationships in the same way as we do heterosexual relationships. We believe that the general tone and content of EastEnders is now widely recognised. Parents can make an informed decision as to whether they want their children to watch.'

Is 145 a lot of complaints? LOL. They are always going to be ignorant people in the world and why would a young child be watching a soap opera? That's bad parenting.

With everything else that goes on with EE parents call and complain about a kiss! Unbelievable! And your point, PIH, is a great one! One boy on the show just lost his father to a brutal murder.There is a pedophile storyline going on right now with a mother's boyfriend playing head games on her step daughter and setting his sights on a younger girl. I would want to talk to my children about the subject and warn them but I wouldn't want them to see this very adult themed soap. I love the show and wish I could see more of it but it is definitely not fare for the kiddies. And while 145 calls really might not seem like much in the scheme of things, it ties in to Nelson's Pink Soap piece. There is still a lot of predjudice out there and the fact that this story made "the wires" shows what a hot button issue homosexuality is in this far more "enlightened" day and age. And the scene itself was very telling with the uptight Dot ,who claims to be liberal ,lecturing Christian and Lee about PDA's but saying nothing to the straight couple she saw kissing first or even to Peggy and Archie who are wrapped in each other's arms. It was a great scene but those 145 concerned parents missed the irony.

Anyway, EE has always struck me as the older skewing of the uk soaps, along with Emmerdale, so I wonder if that had any factor in it. But 100ish complaints is practically nothing. US straight couples get more hate mail than that.

Anyway, EE has always struck me as the older skewing of the uk soaps, along with Emmerdale, so I wonder if that had any factor in it. But 100ish complaints is practically nothing. US straight couples get more hate mail than that.

LOL! I can't argue with that! I guess things have progressed since the '80's when it was the PRESS even more than irate viewers who were upset over EE's first gay kiss! There were outraged pieces and reporters who took to calling the show "East BENDers"! But all of the UK soaps had gay relationships featured recently including Emmerdale and I hadn't heard much in the way of complaints. I think overhearing some slurs recently and then reading about the complaints made me a bit over-sensitive for lack of a better term.